OK, so I gave Hubby the choice between the butternut risotto and the butternut ravioli for tonight. I am SO glad that he chose this. This was SO delicious. I was worried that it would be too similar to the gnocchi that we love (with the orange veggie and brown butter sauce), that we wouldn’t like this, but it was FABULOUS!
Here is the original Epicurious recipe, but I ended up changing it around enough that it will be simpler for me just to write my version here for you, rather than list all of the modifications that I made, so here is my version:
Butternut Squash Ravioli
filling ingredients:
2 cups roasted, mashed, cooled butternut squash
(get it that way yourself – a one pound squash will yield about 2 cups)
1/2 medium-sized onion, chopped (about 2/3 cup)
2 tsp. chopped fresh sage
1 garlic clove, pressed or minced
1/3 cup grated hard goat cheese (I used Parrano)
1 stick unsalted butter
1 package won ton wrappers (there were 52 in my pack)
1/3 cup good quality fresh pecans, cut into large pieces (each pecan cut into about 6 pieces)
In a large bowl, mix together the squash and cheese. Saute onion, garlic and sage in 1 Tbsp. of the butter until onions are softened. Add to squash and stir well to combine. Put a large pot of water on to boil (I usually add a little salt and olive oil).
Working quickly so that won ton wrappers don’t dry out, put 1 wrapper on a clean work surface and place one level Tbsp. of squash filling in the center.
Brush the wrapper (around the filling) with water and a pastry brush (or a clean finger). Put a second wrapper over the top, push down around the filling to push out any air bubbles and seal the edges well around the filling.
Trim around the filling with a small round cookie cutter (the one that I used was a little less than 3 inches across).
When you cut, don’t twist the cookie cutter, but cut straight down, so that sealed pasta edges will not become loosened. As ravioli are completed, place them gently on a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper. Repeat until all filling is used up.
Sit ravioli aside as you prepare the butter sauce. Place the remainder (7 Tbsp.) of the stick of butter in a skillet with the pecans. Cook over medium heat until the pecans are toasted and the milk solids have just started to turn brown. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set sauce aside and keep warm.
Cook ravioli, in 2 separate batches, in the boiling water for 1 or 2 minutes, until they start to float and are tender. Turn the heat down, if necessary, to keep the water from boiling too rapidly, which can make the ravioli come apart. Remove from the water with a slotted spoon or spider strainer. Set aside, slightly separated, on waxed paper or a lightly greased platter, so that they don’t stick together, until the second batch is cooked and you are ready to serve them. Pour brown butter sauce over them carefully, trying to get some sauce on each one, to keep them from sticking to each other.
Makes about 24 ravioli.
Other possible modifications:
More sage in the filling would be good. Some finely chopped toasted pecans in the filling would be nice, too. You probably don’t HAVE to have the goat cheese in the filling – parmesan would be fine, if that’s what you happen to have on hand. Hubby said these are so good they really don’t even need the sauce, but I’m not too sure about that. I REALLY like browned butter.
I served these with some herb-rubbed grilled chicken and some broccolini cooked with garlic and chicken broth. I accidentally overcooked the broccolini a little, but everything else was really good.
We didn’t get time to do the gingerbread house decorating tonight, but we have all of the “stuff” (candy canes, green gummy Life Savers to make a wreath on the front door, etc.) and will try to do them and post photos very soon.